Cinch
What it means
Something certain to succeed or pleasantly easy to do.
Reach for it when describing an informal task, result, or choice with little difficulty or doubt
Once the parts were labeled, the repair was a cinch.
Words to choose between 6
| playful |
|
|---|---|
| everyday | |
| professional |
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playful
breeze
Fits when the task feels light and effortless
Careful Breeze is casual, and ease alone leaves the outcome uncertain beforehand.
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playful
piece of cake
Fits when friendly idiom suits a very easy task
Careful The phrase is too breezy when the task matters deeply or others struggled with it.
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playful
snap
Fits when a quick, easy task is being praised
Careful Snap can sound dated and is ambiguous outside the phrase a snap.
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everyday
Fits when informal British English is appropriate
Careful Many American readers will not recognize doddle.
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everyday
sure thing
Fits when certainty of outcome matters more than ease
Careful A sure thing may still require difficult work.
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professional
straightforward task
Fits when few complications should be stated neutrally
Careful Straightforward work may still take time and care, so it is not always a cinch.
Opposites 4
- ordeal
- long shot
- challenge
- struggle
Common phrases 4
-
be a cinch
The online renewal should be a cinch once the account is verified.
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make it a cinch
Color-coded plugs make it a cinch to reconnect the equipment.
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absolute cinch
With the guide beside her, the final assembly was an absolute cinch.
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make something a cinch
Clear labels can make something a cinch for a first-time user.
Usage notes
Keep in mind
Cinch is informal and can belittle another person's effort when a task is easy only because of prior expertise.
Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Mountainmage, American accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Updated